Another day, another PDA: Divergent co-stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James hug as they turn up for charity screening

They play lovers onscreen and deny that their relationship has developed off screen, too.

But Divergent co-stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James looked very much like an item when they turned up at a private screening of their movie hosted by Summit Entertainment to benefit AllItTakes.org at Muvico Theaters in Thousand Oaks, California, on Monday evening.

The hunky 29-year-old had his arm protectively around Shailene's shoulders as she pulled him close to her.

They look like an item: Divergent co-stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James hugged at a private screening of their film in Thousand Oaks, California, on Monday evening

And they both had THAT smile on their faces that seemed to show how much they enjoyed each other's company.

The pair were casually dressed for the screening, which benefitted the not-for-profit organisation set up by the 22-year-old actress and her mother, Lori, in 2010. It aims to create positive change among young people locally and globally through education.

Shailene wore a black leather motorbiker jacket over a grey hoodie, lace-knit vest and distressed Daisy Dukes that showed off her beautiful legs. Her brunette tressed were pulled into an updo that showed off her makeup-free face.

Higher meaning: The couple were casually dressed for the event that benefitted AllItTakes, the nont-for-profit organisation set up by Shailene and her mother Lori Woodley to create positive change among young people

The couple, who also took part in a Q&A at the screening, have been inseparable over the past few weeks as they jetted around North America and Canada to promote Divergent.

With rumours swirling of a possible romance, Shailene and Theo played up to them with a rather tactile display on NBC's Today Show in New York on Wednesday.

In the studio to talk about Divergent, which hits cinemas on March 21, the pair displayed their easy rapport and obvious chemistry, with Shailene resting her hand on her co-star's thigh while the British hunk put his arm casually around the back of the sofa behind her.

Pretty pins: The 22-year-old showed off her shapely legs in cut-down denim shorts

Adding fuel to the fire, when co-host Savannah Guthrie showed them a selection of the many magazine covers they're currently featured on, Theo commented on a Hollywood Reporter cover showing his leading lady reclining on a lounge chair gently biting her finger.

'I like that, biting your finger,' he said as he leaned forward for a closer look.

'They Photoshopped that!' Shailene protested, to which her rumoured beau replied: 'It's my finger, actually!'The pair enjoyed a good laugh as the actress gently nudged him on the chest, a wide grin encompassing her face.

More to come: With two more films to shoot in the trilogy, based on Veronica Roth's bestsellers, the young stars will be spending a lot more time together

While they certainly wouldn't be the first co-stars to fake a 'romance' to drum up publicity for their project, it's yet to be seen if anything will actually happen between the pair.

However, with another two films to shoot in the trilogy - based on the novels by Veronica Roth - the sensible star will likely be keen to stick to her tried and true formula of not dating co-stars.

'I haven't had time to think about a relationship! I literally have not had a boyfriend in almost five years. I've never even hooked up with anybody I've worked on a movie with,' she tells the latest issue of Teen Vogue.